Improvement in drain-cisterns



T. HOUSTON.

Drain-Gistern;

No. 213,886. Patented April 1-, 1879.

Ewin MO,

N-PETERS, FHOTO-iJTHOGRAPnER. WASHINGTONv D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlGEl.

THEODORE HOUSTON, OF MONT CLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN DRAIN-CISTERNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,886, dated April 1,1879; application filed July 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE HoUsToN, of Mont Clair, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Drain Oisterns or Reservoirs and Traps, for theperiodical discharge of sewage, of which the following is aspecification:

My invention relates to tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs for collectingand holding sewage for a time, to be discharged at intervals orintermittently, as required, and also to the devices for accomplishingthe same.

Heretoforc drain-cisterns have been made so as to discharge theircontents at intervals, and according to two different systems, asfollows: first, by means of a siphon introduced into the cistern, withits short limb extending nearly to the bottom of the cistern, passing upand over the side of the same, and continuin g in the usual long limbextension outside of the cistern to the sewer 5 second, by means of anoutlet in the bottom of the cistern provided with a valve and valve-stemintended to be lifted by hand at intervals. The first of these systemsis objectionable, for the reason that it will not perfectly dischargethe more solid contents of the cistern, and is otherwise generallyfeeble and somewhat uncertain, and is not positive in its action. Thesecond is open to the objections of requiring personal attention for thepurpose of opening the valve and discharging the contents of thecistern, and consequent liability to neglect.

The object of my invention is to provide a system of drain cisterns,tanks, or reservoirs, which shall be automatic in its action, and permitthe discharge of both the fluid and the more solid contents of thecistern as completely as may be desired.

The invention consists in a drain-cistern provided with an outlet andoutlet-valve operated automatically at intervals to discharge itscontents by means of a balance-bucket to which the fluid contents of thecistern are admitted and from which they are discharged automatically asthe cistern is filled and emptied, respectively; 'and it also consistsin the devices and combinations of devices employed for performing therequired functions automatically at intervals, as set forth in theseveral claims attached hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate like parts, Figure 1 is a top View of the tank or cistern andinterior devices with the top removed. Fig. 2 is a side view with thefront side removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical and sectional view on the linea" m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the inner box orcistern for operating the weighted outlet-valve, showing its inlet andoutlet aperture partially closed by a rubber time-valve.

O is the cistern, tank, or reservoir, and should be located between thehouse or building and street or outdoor drains, so as to receive theflow from the former through the inlet-pipe P, and, after holding it fora time, discharge its contents into the street or outside drains throughthe outlet 0.

The cistern should, Wherever possible, be made solid or continuousthroughout, except as to the necessary inlets and outlets and openingsfor necessary access to the Working parts, and preferably of glazedpottery, so as to absorb as little objectionable matter from the sewageas possible.

The bottom of the cistern is shown as sloped from a point near theinlet-aperture of the pipe P to the outlet-aperture O, the object ofwhich is to facilitate the passage of the sewage, especially the moresolid parts, out of the cistern, but the bottom may be made flat.

The inlet-pipe is trapped by the trap U, or any suitable trap, andconnects with the tank at or near its bottom, so that its outlet may beconstantly covered by water, and thereby have the protection of thecontents of the tank to prevent the passage of sewer-gas into thehousepipes. The inlet being at the bottom, the tendency of the gas is tofind outlet away from rather than in the direction of the housepipes.The cistern 0 is ventilated at top by means of a pipe, V, which shouldextend far enough to conduct any gas therefrom to some place where itcan do no harm.

As thus arranged the cistern becomes a trap as Well as a cistern,through or from which gas can only pass into the ventilating-flue V inthe top. The outlet 0 has the weighted valve W fitted tightly thereto.This valve may be made in any known and suitable way to close the outlet0, and hold the drainage flowing from the house-pipes into the cistern(J as a receptacle until it is discharged at the proper time by theoperation or opening of the valve \V, in a manner to be describedhereinafter. The outlet 0 leads into or toward the external system ofpipes and drains, which may be trapped near the tank with advantage insome instances where the pressure of the sewer-gas toward the tank issuch as to require traps to hold it back, and such traps may beventilated into the tank-ventilating pipe V, if desired.

The valve \V is connected by means of a valve chain or rod, R, with alever, L, which may be graduated for adjustment. The lever L issuspended near the top of the cistern, and connects the weighted valve\V with a bucket, box, or movable cistern, B, which, at the proper time,is intended to become so tilled with the sewage-water from the tank asto more than counterbalance the weighted valve \V and the weight of thecolumn of sewage water over the same, and thereby open the outlet O,permit the discharge of the contents of the cistern 0 through the same,while its own contents are more slowly discharged or emptied back intothe tank, thus eventually permitting the weighted valve \V to againovercome the weight of the suspended bucket B when sufiiciently emptied,and close the outlet 0 preparatory to the repetition of the operation.The weight of the bucket B and its contents may be brought to bear uponthe valve \V in other equivalent ways; butlprefer thatshown, because byusing glass in the upper partof the cistern C, I can at any time examineand ascertain the working condition of the operating parts. 0' is an aircistern or tank, placed at one end of the main cistern U, and soconstructed as to carefully prevent the entrance of the fluid contentsof the cistern 0 into it, but provided with an aperture in its bottom,which is connected with an aperture in the bottom of the movable cisternor bucket B.

The function performed by the cistern 0' consists chiefly, it notentirely, in the exclusion of the fluids in the tank 0 from all contactwith the outside of the bucket or cistern B, in order that the lattermay be free to move up and down in operating the valve \V.

The two apertures in the bottoms of and B are connected by the flexibletube T, the function of which is to admit the passage of fluids from themain cistern (3 into the movable cistern B as they rise in the former,while preventing the passage of the same into the air-cistern 0'. As thefluids rise, therefore, in the cistern 0 they, on reaching its level,begin to pass through the flexible tube T into the bucket B, and whenthe weight of its contents is suflicient for the purpose the valve Wwill be lifted through the lever L by the dropping of B in the chamber0'. If 0' contained water the desired result would not come to pass; but

as air only lies between the bottoms of C and B, the weight of itscontents depresses B at the proper time and causes the valve W to rise.

When the bucket B is sufliciently emptied to allow the weighted valve Wand rod R to overbalance it the valve will drop to its seat, the bucketB will rise, and the parts will be ready for a repetition of theoperation.

The tube T, or the outlet or inlet thereof, should be so much less thanthe outlet 0 in diameter as to delay the emptying of B, while that of 0takes place as speedily as possible. This object may be accomplished byusing a flexible tube, T, of a larger size, and controlling the escapeof the contents of B by means of a valve like the rubber ball B, whichdoes not fit the outlet 0 tightly, but may have spaces left between itand the outlet of any dimensions required to accomplish the desiredpurpose.

A hollow ball-valve made of rubber or other suitable material will belifted up by the incoming fluid, so as to increase the size of theopening; but as the current flows in the other direction it will causethe ball-valve to drop, and thus delay the outflow of the contents ofthe bucket B long enough to allow the contents of the cistern 0 toescape.

Instead of the flexible tubeT,a jointed tube may be substituted,or anyknown kind of flexible tubing. It may, in some instances, beadvisable tohave auxiliary means to fill and operate the bucket B, or means tooperate itentirely independent of the weight of the original contents ofthe cistern 0. This I provide by introducing through the top of thecistern 0, or directly over the bucket B, the auxiliary water-pipe ofthe supply system of pipes, with a cock, (3, connected to a float, F,placed inside of the bucket well toward the bottom by an arm, A, so thaton the admission of a small amount of fluid matter into the bucketthrough the flexible tube T the float will begin to move the cock C, andeventually open it, causing such a supply of water to fall into thebucket B as to insure its acting upon and overcomin g the valve \V,thereby discharging the contents of the cistern C.

I do not intend to confine my invention to the use of the particularform of valve shown and marked W, but contemplate the use of any othersuitable valve in place thereof.

I consider it desirable, however, to close the outletO as perfectly aspossible against the entrance of gas from the outside system of pipes,&c., for the purpose of limiting the amount of gas in the tank 0 to betaken care of.

For this purpose, in addition to the ordinary traps placed in theoutside pipes, I prefer to so time the discharge of the contents of thebucket B that the last of it will flow down around and over the same,thereby helping to seal the val ve-joint. This may be accomplished by soweighting the valve and valve-rod that they will counterbalance thebucket B, and, in addition, a suflicientamount of its contents for thepurpose, which will continue to flow into the cistern 0 after the valveis closed and until the bucket is empty.

The outlet 0, being made larger than the tube T, or the apertures in Cand B, will facilitate this desired result, and as the tankC fills fromthe house-pipes through the pipe P, the weight of the water increasinggives increased protection. The frequency of discharge of the contentsof the cisternO will depend of course upon its size and the amount offlow; but the period during which gas can be forced from the sewers backtoward the house-pipes will be limited to the times when the cistern hasjust been emptied, and for the escape of all such gas, as well as of allgas generated in the cistern itself, ample provision is made by theventilating-pipe V.

The whole top of the cistern 0, or any part thereof, may be left freefrom all inlet or outlet pipes or apertures, may be hinged at one side,and may be made to drop upon or into contact with rubber packing of anysuitable kind, secured to or in the top edge of the cistern, for thepurpose of giving sufticient access to the cistern to repair or adjustthe operating devices, while, on being closed, a perfectly tight jointwill be made, so as to prevent the escape of gas from the cistern.

1 also contemplate locating a float, as F, outside of the bucket B andin the cistern 0, so as to be moved by its contents, and caused tooperate the cock 0 This may be used as an auxiliary to guard against anydanger from clogging of the inlets of B, and to insure the operation ofthe bucket and the opening of the outlet 0.

Instead of the cylindrical air-cistern C, I contemplate placing a tightpartition at one end of the cistern 0, without which the bucket B, madein any desirable form, maybe placed in substantially the same relationsas previously shown and described.

I claim as my invention 1. A drain-cistern provided with an outlet andoutlet-valve opened automatically at intervals to discharge the contentsof the cistern by means of the weight of the fluid contents of thecistern admitted to a balance bucket connected with the valve by alever.

2. A drain-cistern provided with an outlet and outlet-valve openedautomatically at intervals to discharge by means of the weight of thefluid contents of the cistern admitted to a balance-bucket connectedwith the valve by a lever, and closed automatically at intervals toretain the contents of the cistern, after the fluid contents of thecistern, which have been admitted to the balance-bucket, have passedback into the cistern.

3. A drain cistern provided with an outlet and outlet-valve at or nearits bottom, operated intermittently and automatically to open and closethe same by means of a balancebucket and the weight of fluid contentsadmitted to and allowed to escape therefrom, in the manner and for thepurposes specified.

4. The movable cistern or bucket B and the stationary air-cistern G, incombination, the former being placed within the latter, and attached bymeans of a balance-lever to the valve V, for the purposes named.

5. The cisterns (J, G, and B, in combination, 0 being provided with theoutlet 0 and weighted outlet-valve W, B being connected to the valve W,by means of the lever L, and located within the air-cistern O.

THEO. HOUSTON.

Witnesses:

THEODORE R. SHEAR, GEORGE A. HAMMEL.

